Jail for Batley joyrider who killed friend in crash

A young driver showing off in a stolen car lost control and crashed into a tree killing one of his best friends, a court heard.

Tazareb Hussain, of Skipton Street, Batley, was not responsible for the original theft of the Nissan Micra which had been taken after a burglary at an address in County Close, Batley in September last year.

But by November 25 he was behind the wheel when Yasar Hussain, 18, got in as his front seat passenger with another man Aadil Malik in the back.

David Mackay prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court Yasar was one of nine children whose family had lived in the Batley Carr area all his life.

His older brother Faisal had received calls from Tazareb Hussain that evening offering him a lift from Dewsbury train station after he finished work but he refused the offer because he did not want to get into a car that was stolen.

At about 9pm Yasar Hussain told his father he was going out for 10 minutes and that was the last time his family saw him.

Mr Mackay said Tazareb Hussain was then seen driving the Micra around the Batley area. Two witnesses in Banks Street saw it “flash past” as they were parked heading towards a sharp left hand bend at Purwell Hall Road.

The Micra driver appeared not to slow down but to try instead a handbrake turn into Purwell Hall Road but due to his speed he veered on to the wrong side of the road, collided with the kerb and narrowly missed a parked van.

Seconds later as Tazareb Hussain tried to turn right at the crossroads into Taylor Street at speed he again lost control and started to slide across the road in what was described as “an aquaplaining motion” before the Micra mounted the kerb and collided with a tree on the opposite side of the road.

“That impact was directly to the passenger side door and the force of the crash embedded the tree into the car effectively taking up the entire space where the front passenger compartment was,” said Mr Mackay.

Yasar Hussain suffered facial, chest, pelvic and brain injuries and death was almost instantaneous. Witnesses found him lying over the unconscious driver with the back seat passenger who was also injured was trapped by his leg. He was later treated in hospital.

Mr Mackay said the teenager’s family had been devastated by his death. A devout Muslim he was a popular boy with many friends.

Andrew Dallas representing the defendant said he was ashamed of his actions and considered his punishment a small price compared with what Yasser’s family faced.

“His remorse is genuine and he feels for them that having through his stupidity he has killed his best friend. Every day he looks at their home opposite his own and is reminded of what he has done. He was simply driving too fast and found himself in consequence unable to manage the bend which led to this terrible and tragic collision.”

Tazareb Hussain, 22, admitted causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking where a death results and causing death while uninsured. He was jailed for four years eight months and disqualified from driving for six and a half years.

Judge Guy Kearl QC told him: “It seems clear to me you were showing off to your friends by driving the car quickly. It is plain from the facts of the case you had invited your friends into the car in effect to show them how fast it could be driven and that from the observation of the witnesses is precisely what you were trying to do without any care for other road users, pedestrians or your passengers.”

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